6'2" tall with a habitual stooped posture that makes him look shorter, and a lean 170 lbs. Hair is light brown, stringy, and shoulder-length. Eyes are brown and sunk deep in their sockets. Has a wide mouth that gives the illusion that he has an abnormally large number of teeth on the rare occasions when he smiles. Walks in an awkward-looking shuffle. Dresses in hard-used but clean clothing, favoring coveralls, military-style fatigues, cargo pants, or anything else with a lot of pockets.
"Bradley Loomis" is a false name taken from the historic Allen-Bradley building and Loomis street in Milwaukee. "Brad" was born Barduch of the Schuld, one of the neobarbarian tribes in the ruins of the former city of Racine. Barduch grew up a fairly typical barbarian, learning to hunt vermin, scavenge supplies, and watch for Waltzer troops and other tribes. He was fortunate in that the Schuld tribe had several literate members, including his mother. She insisted on teaching him to read and write. It isn't something he does for recreation, but it has proven useful in his adult life. Like all of his fellow tribesfolk, Barduch trained extensively in hand-to-hand combat from a very early age. Quick but not especially strong, he learned to fight proficiently with a knife in each hand.
The Schuld tribe was decimated when Barduch was 17 years old. In a losing skirmish with another tribe, they were driven into the outskirts of Fort Purgatory. The troops inside the fort turned on their searchlight and opened fire. Pinned between two hostile forces, the Schuld were virtually wiped out, with the few survivors scattering in all directions. Barduch survived by playing dead among the corpses of people who had been his family (including his mother) through that night and the following day. He crawled away from the fort under cover of darkness the following night. At dawn he dug himself a burrow in the rubble of a ruined building and finally got some sleep. This would become the pattern of his life for the next two years: he would move by night, scrounging food (mostly rats) and ditch-water and avoiding other people, and find or create a new place to hide before daybreak. As often as possible he returned to the old grounds of his tribe, hoping to connect with other survivors, but none ever appeared.
He finally gave up hope of finding other members of his tribe. Realizing that a lone person in his hometown was nothing but prey, he decided to relocate. Everyone knew that only "Deathlands" lay to the south, so he chose to go north. He inched his way past Fort Mitchell over the course of several days and eventually reached the city of Milwaukee. He knew his birth name would mark him as a barbarian (a lesson learned from a Waltzer trooper captured by his tribe), so he chose a new name based on landmarks and old street signs; Bradley Loomis was born as he entered the city.
Thus far, civilization has not impressed Brad very much. It seems to him to be built on the twin pillars of selfishness and bullshit. The all-for-one attitude of the tribe has been replaced by a dog-eat-dog ethic where a tiny handful prosper at the expense of the majority and everyone looks exclusively to their own interest. Loyalty and a sense of community seem to have fallen by the wayside. Vaunted miracles of technology give luxury to a few elites while the masses live on the brink of starvation. Bosses are chosen for their connections, their servility, or their gift for deception rather than merit or personal prowess. High-sounding moral and political rhetoric is used as a smokescreen for corruption and despicable behavior. "Grab your share, and to hell with everyone else" seems to be an unwritten law.
Since arriving in Milwaukee, Brad has made a living of sorts scrounging up usable junk for conversion or resale (he has a habit of grabbing any small item that looks like it could be useful later, which is why he likes clothing with lots of pockets). He also operates a side "business" as a burglar and freelance criminal. He specializes in theft of small items that are easy to transport and conceal but will steal larger items if they seem like they'll be easy to fence. He will take commission jobs, stealing specific items for a prepaid fee, but these jobs are few and far between. He has also hired out as a short-term goon or bodyguard for anyone who will pay. He prefers intimidation or deterrent jobs to straight-up beatings or murders because he knows the kind of attention and long-term enemies bloodshed can cause; he grew up with the concept of the blood feud. He'd be willing to do other work if he could find it, but the city has a lot more people desperate for work than job openings, and his skills aren't in high demand for legitimate employment.
Brad is painfully aware of how different his background makes him and can be very stand-offish as a result. In a crowd his instinct is to try to fade into the background, and he'll be edgy and nervous. He is not very approachable (what he thinks of as a blank, neutral face looks a lot like a scowl to people who don't know him) and almost never initiates conversations with strangers. He has few friends, but is fiercely loyal to those few, and has a very long memory for both favors and grudges. He isn't very familiar with machinery or technology, but isn't overawed by it; more often than not he'll try to get a basic grasp of how newly-encountered gizmos work. He makes an effort to conceal his barbarian heritage but has not completely adapted to civilized life. He knows most people consider it wrong to eat cats and dogs, or to cut parts off a fallen enemy as trophies, but doesn't really grasp why. He won't indulge in these sorts of things where others can see him, but he thinks civilized people are just being squeamish. He was 20 years old the first time he ate with a fork. He has little interest in religion; any deity (to him, they're all "Big Sky Daddy") who would create the kind of world he's had to live in doesn't rate worship. He has an explosive temper; he grew up in a culture where ferocity was the preferred response to any dilemma, so when something makes him angry his first instinct is to bludgeon or stab it. He knows how much trouble this can get him into and tries to keep his cool, but the instinct and adrenaline rush are still there. When he finally snaps he's capable of appalling savagery. Ironically, his attempts at temper control make it appear to others as if he goes from a grim state of calm to sudden violence without any warning. A few who have seen him truly angry think he's a psychopath. He always goes armed, with at least one knife at his belt and a shiv stashed somewhere out of sight. His ripper is his most prized possession; it isn't of exceptional quality, but as a gift from Hurgin, Boss of the Schuld, it has great sentimental value.
Brad isn't affiliated with any group or faction. He thinks well of the Brothers of the Good Shepherd (one of their soup kitchens gave him his first meal in the city) and finds the methods of the Fighting Phils interesting. He hates the Waltzers (and anyone else in a recognizable uniform) as enemies of his tribe. He is unlikely to actively seek membership in any faction or organization due to his upbringing: you don't choose a tribe, the tribe chooses you.
Most of his time is spent looking for things he can scavenge or steal, or trying to find work. Like many small-time hoodlums, Brad dreams of a big score that will earn him enough to start a legal business (most likely a tavern) or buy a piece of land - either way, he could get out of the sordid world of petty crime and live like a real person. Although he'd never admit it, what he wants most of all is to recapture the sense of community and shared purpose he had with his lost tribe. A chance at being an accepted member of a close-knit community would draw him like a magnet. He's also drawn to friendly and/or upbeat people. They're his polar opposites in personality, but he finds them oddly comforting to be around.
NAME: Bradley Loomis
Age: 23
Sex: Male
Race: White
Class: Lower
Profession: Scavenger/Criminal
Disposition: Grim and distant
Faction(s): None
DESCRIPTION & BACKGROUND
6'2" tall with a habitual stooped posture that makes him look shorter, and a lean 170 lbs. Hair is light brown, stringy, and shoulder-length. Eyes are brown and sunk deep in their sockets. Has a wide mouth that gives the illusion that he has an abnormally large number of teeth on the rare occasions when he smiles. Walks in an awkward-looking shuffle. Dresses in hard-used but clean clothing, favoring coveralls, military-style fatigues, cargo pants, or anything else with a lot of pockets."Bradley Loomis" is a false name taken from the historic Allen-Bradley building and Loomis street in Milwaukee. "Brad" was born Barduch of the Schuld, one of the neobarbarian tribes in the ruins of the former city of Racine. Barduch grew up a fairly typical barbarian, learning to hunt vermin, scavenge supplies, and watch for Waltzer troops and other tribes. He was fortunate in that the Schuld tribe had several literate members, including his mother. She insisted on teaching him to read and write. It isn't something he does for recreation, but it has proven useful in his adult life. Like all of his fellow tribesfolk, Barduch trained extensively in hand-to-hand combat from a very early age. Quick but not especially strong, he learned to fight proficiently with a knife in each hand.
The Schuld tribe was decimated when Barduch was 17 years old. In a losing skirmish with another tribe, they were driven into the outskirts of Fort Purgatory. The troops inside the fort turned on their searchlight and opened fire. Pinned between two hostile forces, the Schuld were virtually wiped out, with the few survivors scattering in all directions. Barduch survived by playing dead among the corpses of people who had been his family (including his mother) through that night and the following day. He crawled away from the fort under cover of darkness the following night. At dawn he dug himself a burrow in the rubble of a ruined building and finally got some sleep. This would become the pattern of his life for the next two years: he would move by night, scrounging food (mostly rats) and ditch-water and avoiding other people, and find or create a new place to hide before daybreak. As often as possible he returned to the old grounds of his tribe, hoping to connect with other survivors, but none ever appeared.
He finally gave up hope of finding other members of his tribe. Realizing that a lone person in his hometown was nothing but prey, he decided to relocate. Everyone knew that only "Deathlands" lay to the south, so he chose to go north. He inched his way past Fort Mitchell over the course of several days and eventually reached the city of Milwaukee. He knew his birth name would mark him as a barbarian (a lesson learned from a Waltzer trooper captured by his tribe), so he chose a new name based on landmarks and old street signs; Bradley Loomis was born as he entered the city.
Thus far, civilization has not impressed Brad very much. It seems to him to be built on the twin pillars of selfishness and bullshit. The all-for-one attitude of the tribe has been replaced by a dog-eat-dog ethic where a tiny handful prosper at the expense of the majority and everyone looks exclusively to their own interest. Loyalty and a sense of community seem to have fallen by the wayside. Vaunted miracles of technology give luxury to a few elites while the masses live on the brink of starvation. Bosses are chosen for their connections, their servility, or their gift for deception rather than merit or personal prowess. High-sounding moral and political rhetoric is used as a smokescreen for corruption and despicable behavior. "Grab your share, and to hell with everyone else" seems to be an unwritten law.
Since arriving in Milwaukee, Brad has made a living of sorts scrounging up usable junk for conversion or resale (he has a habit of grabbing any small item that looks like it could be useful later, which is why he likes clothing with lots of pockets). He also operates a side "business" as a burglar and freelance criminal. He specializes in theft of small items that are easy to transport and conceal but will steal larger items if they seem like they'll be easy to fence. He will take commission jobs, stealing specific items for a prepaid fee, but these jobs are few and far between. He has also hired out as a short-term goon or bodyguard for anyone who will pay. He prefers intimidation or deterrent jobs to straight-up beatings or murders because he knows the kind of attention and long-term enemies bloodshed can cause; he grew up with the concept of the blood feud. He'd be willing to do other work if he could find it, but the city has a lot more people desperate for work than job openings, and his skills aren't in high demand for legitimate employment.
Brad is painfully aware of how different his background makes him and can be very stand-offish as a result. In a crowd his instinct is to try to fade into the background, and he'll be edgy and nervous. He is not very approachable (what he thinks of as a blank, neutral face looks a lot like a scowl to people who don't know him) and almost never initiates conversations with strangers. He has few friends, but is fiercely loyal to those few, and has a very long memory for both favors and grudges. He isn't very familiar with machinery or technology, but isn't overawed by it; more often than not he'll try to get a basic grasp of how newly-encountered gizmos work. He makes an effort to conceal his barbarian heritage but has not completely adapted to civilized life. He knows most people consider it wrong to eat cats and dogs, or to cut parts off a fallen enemy as trophies, but doesn't really grasp why. He won't indulge in these sorts of things where others can see him, but he thinks civilized people are just being squeamish. He was 20 years old the first time he ate with a fork. He has little interest in religion; any deity (to him, they're all "Big Sky Daddy") who would create the kind of world he's had to live in doesn't rate worship. He has an explosive temper; he grew up in a culture where ferocity was the preferred response to any dilemma, so when something makes him angry his first instinct is to bludgeon or stab it. He knows how much trouble this can get him into and tries to keep his cool, but the instinct and adrenaline rush are still there. When he finally snaps he's capable of appalling savagery. Ironically, his attempts at temper control make it appear to others as if he goes from a grim state of calm to sudden violence without any warning. A few who have seen him truly angry think he's a psychopath. He always goes armed, with at least one knife at his belt and a shiv stashed somewhere out of sight. His ripper is his most prized possession; it isn't of exceptional quality, but as a gift from Hurgin, Boss of the Schuld, it has great sentimental value.
Brad isn't affiliated with any group or faction. He thinks well of the Brothers of the Good Shepherd (one of their soup kitchens gave him his first meal in the city) and finds the methods of the Fighting Phils interesting. He hates the Waltzers (and anyone else in a recognizable uniform) as enemies of his tribe. He is unlikely to actively seek membership in any faction or organization due to his upbringing: you don't choose a tribe, the tribe chooses you.
Most of his time is spent looking for things he can scavenge or steal, or trying to find work. Like many small-time hoodlums, Brad dreams of a big score that will earn him enough to start a legal business (most likely a tavern) or buy a piece of land - either way, he could get out of the sordid world of petty crime and live like a real person. Although he'd never admit it, what he wants most of all is to recapture the sense of community and shared purpose he had with his lost tribe. A chance at being an accepted member of a close-knit community would draw him like a magnet. He's also drawn to friendly and/or upbeat people. They're his polar opposites in personality, but he finds them oddly comforting to be around.
Vignettes:
Fellow Travelers
Caged
Jackpot
Stew
Warrior
Fort
HEALTH = 8
INITIATIVE = 5 (+1 for Fast Reflexes)
DEFENSE = 3
SPEED = 10
WEAPONS = Knife, Ripper, Shiv, Crowbar
ARMOR = Reinforced Leather JacketGEAR= Lockpicks (homemade from heavy-gauge wire)
ATTRIBUTES
Intelligence: 2
Wits: 3
Resolve: 2
Strength: 2
Dexterity: 3
Stamina: 3
Presence: 2
Manipulation: 2
Composure: 2
SKILLS
Mental
Academics : 0Computer : 0
Crafts : 2 (jerry-rigging)
Investigation : 1
Medicine : 1
Religion/Knowledge: 0
Politics : 0
Scavenging: 3
Science: 0
"
Physical
Athletics : 1 (spec:climbing)Brawl : 1
Drive/Pilot : 0
Firearms : 1
Larceny : 2
Stealth : 3
Survival : 0
Weaponry: 3 (spec:knives)
Social
Animal ken : 0Empathy : 0
Intimidation : 2
Persuasion : 0
Socialize : 0
Streetwise : 0
Subterfuge: 2
MERITS (should not exceed 7)
Danger Sense (2)Fast Reflexes (1)
Iron Stomach (2)
Quick Draw (1)
Fighting Style: Two Weapons
- Whirling Blades (1)
and
FLAWS
AloofTemper Issues